Maclaren, who scored a hat-trick for Scottish side Hibernian in their 5-5 league draw with Rangers on Sunday, was one of six cut from Van Marwijk’s initial 32-man squad, along with goalkeeper Mitch Langerak and defender Bailey Wright.

Cahill, who has played barely an hour of football in the past six months since crossing to second tier English side Millwall, survived the cut, keeping his hopes alive of playing at a fourth World Cup at the age of 38.

Van Marwijk has declined to guarantee him a spot in his final 23 for Russia but a promotional campaign pushed by the Socceroos’ naming rights sponsor, Caltex Australia, suggested it was a done deal.

The company, which also sponsors Cahill, said it would rebrand five of its “marquee” petrol stations across the country to “Cahilltex” in honour of Australia’s all-time top scorer throughout May and June.

“Along with many Australians who are big fans of the Caltex Socceroos, we will follow Tim and the team’s efforts closely,” company executive Richard Pearson said in a media release.

With Cahill by far Australia’s highest profile soccer player, fans aired their suspicions on social media that commercial considerations had been a bigger factor than form in Van Marwijk’s squad.

“Ohhh.... @Tim_Cahill’s inclusion in the squad makes sense now purely for this pun. #MACLARENTEX doesn’t have the same ring to it,” one Twitter user wrote.